NEW PORT RICHEY — These are heady days for the Pasco-Hernando State College baseball team and Coach Lyndon Coleman.
When the National Junior College Athletic Association released its rankings for Division II on Monday, the Bobcats were ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history. That news came shortly after Coleman, who is in his seventh season as head coach, was named as the fourth Athletic Director in the history of a college that began its athletic program in 1992.
“What Lydon has done with the baseball program over the past several years is a model for what we would like to see across PHSC athletics,” PHSC President Dr. Jesse Pisors said. “That, probably more than anything else, is what made it clear to me that Lyndon Coleman was the right person to follow (recently-retired) Steve Winterling in this role. He also has been a great coach and, since the Athletic Director is the ‘leader of coaches,” his model work as a head coach gives him a particular leadership strength in this aspect of his new job.”
On the baseball field, Coleman and the Bobcats are enjoying one of the best seasons in the history of a program that has had plenty of past success under Coleman and Winterling. Winterling started the program and was the long-time head coach. The No. 1 ranking comes with PHSC off to a 26-8 start. The top ranking is just the latest in a series of firsts for the Bobcats. They were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the previous two polls and each marked the first time the team was ranked that high.
Pasco-Hernando’s strong season has been led by a pair of former Hernando High School pitchers. Sophomore right-hander Michael Savarese is having a dream-like season and has a strong chance to finish his PHSC career as the school’s all-time leader in multiple pitching categories.
Savarese, a right-hander, was named NJCAA Division II All-American as a freshman and he’s been even more dominant this season. Savarese has been named the Florida State College Athletic Association’s Division II Pitcher of the Week five times this year. He has a 7-0 record and a 1.15 Earned Run Average. Just like in his days at Hernando, Savarese has been a strikeout machine. In 54.2 innings, Savarese has recorded 75 strikeouts. Opponents have an anemic .125 batting average against Savarese, who has not allowed a home run this season. He has signed to continue his career at the University of Pittsburgh next season, but Coleman said Savarese also has a chance to be selected in this summer’s Major League Baseball Draft.
In recent weeks, Savarese has carried a perfect game into the sixth inning against Polk State College and into the seventh inning against Florida State College-Jacksonville.
“Michael is putting up video-game-like numbers,” Coleman said. “He’ll have six more starts in the regular season and, if he continues doing what he’s been doing, he’ll go down in history as one of the best pitchers ever at PHSC.”
Although his numbers aren’t as gaudy as Savarese’s, Hernando High product Riley Fisher is also having an outstanding season as PHSC’s No. 2 starter. A sophomore left-hander, Fisher has a 5-2 record and a 3.95 ERA. He’s recorded 44 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. To fully understand what Fisher has done this season, you need some context. Fisher had Tommy John surgery (major reconstructive surgery) on his left elbow last year.
“Riley finally has the new engine broken in,” Coleman said. “He’s been great in the No. 2 spot. His fastball is up to around 91 or 92 (miles per hour) and I think you’re going to see him commit to a Division I college in the next few weeks.”
But pitching isn’t the only reason the Bobcats are ranked No. 1. PHSC has an impressive .293 team batting average.
“We’re jumping out to leads and we’re holding onto them,” Coleman said. “The last couple years, we were so reliant on home runs. But home runs can come and go and you can’t always count on them. What you need all the time is singles, walks and stolen bases. We’re getting that this year. Wave a tough lineup from the leadoff batter through the No. 9 batter. We’re keeping constant pressure on pitchers and defenses. We just jab you from the first inning through the last.”
The offense has been led by Tampa Jesuit product Clay Thompson, who carries a .342 batting average and leads the nation with 34 stolen bases. First baseman/outfielder Fano Cruz (Viera High School) has been batting in the cleanup spot and he leads the Bobcats in home runs (four) and Runs Batted In (32) and is second on the team with a .359 batting average. Infielder Grant Jordan, another Tampa Jesuit product, leads the Bobcats with a .390 batting average.
“Grant was expected to be a role player,” Coleman said. “But he’s been a lot more than that for us. He’s having a great year. He’s a tough out, has good at-bats and puts the ball in play.”
As the season winds down, PHSC will be shooting for its fourth consecutive Sun-Lakes Conference championship. The school’s baseball team is at the top of its game and so is the entire seven-sport athletic program with Coleman, who played for and was an assistant coach to Winterling, now taking on a dual role.
“I always knew I wanted to coach,” Coleman said. “But you never know what other doors might open and you just keep moving forward and walking through the doors. When Steve retired, a door opened. Steve did a great job here and I’ll see what I can do as far as expanding what Steve did with our entire athletic program.”
